News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-13
TURNER DEITz ROBBED OF $1,000.
The Thief Guest who Pretended to be the
farmers Long Lost Son.
WEIssPoRT, Pa.-The particulars OF

WEIssPoRT, Pa The particulars of u
well-planned and skilfully executed
swindle come from Deitzville, a little
| farming village, composed of not more
| than half a dozen comfortable farm
| houses, abont seven miles from here.
Josiah Deitz, after whom the village is
named. was the first settler in the neigh
borhood, and was known to be rich.
| The family consisted Cf himself, wife
and one boy. The latter early took an
aversion to farm life, and on more than
| one occasion threatened to leave home
| Seventeen years ago the lad suddenly
disappeared from DeitZville, and moth
| ing was heard from him for four years,
when letter came from New York Civ
! inc an account of his wanderings, and
saving that he was about to start for the
West The young mans absence bore
heavily on his mother, but the father
said he would never go after him or
persuade him to return. This he strictly
adhered to, and nothing more was heard
from young Joss, as he was called by
his companions.
Last Sunday a well-dressed young
man came to Deitzville and inquired for
farmer Deitz. A few minutes later he
stood in the presence of the old couple,
whom he callad father and mother, in
Producing himself as the almost for
gotten son. The old farmer was in
clined to maintain feeling of indiffer-
ence, but was soon forced to tears, while
his wife was completely overcome at the
unexpected pleasure of her sons return.
The whole subject for three days was
the story of why he left home and his
subsequent life in New York and Chi
cago, whence he had just come. He
then surprised the farmer and his wife
by the announcement of his recent
marriage, and that his wife would
arrive soon. Meanwhile the unsuspect-
ing father told his son that he had been
very successful while he was absent, and
was not only the owner of several of the
best farms in the valley, but had at his
command large sum Of money. He
generously offered the hospitality OF
his home to Joss and his bride as long
as they chose 90 remain.
joss expressed no desire TO see any of
his old neighbors, but confined himself
to the house until the third day, when
he left for the purpose Of meeting his
bride. Several hours later he returned
with the supposed wife, and everything
else was forgotten except the comfort OF
the young couple. The young woman
feigned fatigue after her journey and re-
tired at an early hour, followed soon
afterward by the old couple. Subse
Quent events show that their hurried re-
tirement was not for rest, but to give
them more time to arrange for their
flight with the old mans cash. The
whereabouts of the money, which t e
farmer acknowledged he had in the
house, was discovered, and during the
night Joss, his bride and So, 600 de-
parted at the same time. The unsus-
pecting farmer was not aware of what
happened until he went to call them to
breakfast next morning and found their
room deserted. The following note lay
on the table:
DEAR FATBER: Good-by for seven
cen years more. Joss.
The old couple are overwhelmed with
grief, not so much for the loss of the
money as the ingratitude of their son, if
it really was he. The general opinion
prevails that it was a professional thief
who knew the farmers circumstances,
or perhaps a companion of the son,
from whom he got sufficient information
to successfully carry out the plot.